Lubricator.



No. 811,024. I PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906, E. W. BAIRD & J. P. DURKIN. LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 23, 19 04 WITNESSES Q2 ATTORNEY.

III IITIED ETATEE PATENT OFFIEE.

EDGAR WV. BAIRD AND JOHN P. DURKIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO STANDARD AUTOMATIC LUBRIOATOR COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Lueeiom'oa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed December 23, 1904. Serial No. 238,066-

To OLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDGAR W. BAIRD and J OHN P. DURKIN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain Improvements in Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the automatic lubrication of journals, bearings, or the like. Its leading purpose is to provide mechanism having a reduced cost and simplified construction, adapted for ready application to lubricating apparatus previously in use with bearings, which will feed a lubricating-oil at the rate required while the device to be lubricated is active and will not feed while the device is at rest. To this end a wire is wound in coils that are sufliciently tight to prevent the passage of oil between them when at rest, while when subject to vibration the coils are opened thereby, so as to permit the passage of oil therethrough at the rate required for lubrication, the coils acting as an automatic valve opening during operation and closing when the mechanism is at rest. This valve may be formed and applied in various ways, as by winding a wire to the form of a cylinder, cone, or spire and disposing it so that coils are between an oil-cup and the outlet therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan, and Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, in illustration of a form of the invention.

Fig. 3 represents a top plan, and Fig. 4 represents a vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, in illustration of a second form of the invention. Fig. 5 represents atop plan, and Fig. 6 represents a vertical sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, in illustration of a third form of the invention; and Fig. 7 represents a Vertical sectional view in illustration of a fourth form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the part 1 represents a journal, the part 2 a bearing, the parts 3 and 3 lubricant-receptacles, and the part 4 a hole for the passage of the lubricant from its receptacle to the journal in a construction of usual form shown to illustrate an application and mode of combining our improvements.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the receptacle 3 receives an oil cup or receptacle 5, which is fitted thereto and removable therefrom. In the socket 6 of the oil-cup is secured ahelical spring forming the cylinder 7 which is composed of tightly-wound wire coils extending upwardly into the cup. The coils are in such close contact when at rest as to prevent oil in the cup from passing between them and flowing down the bore thereof through the hole& to the journal 1; but when the mechanism is subject to the vibration which is induced by its action the elastic cylinder is caused to vibrate, so that its coils are opened in proportion to the rate of vibration, and oil flows therethrough to the journal.

To facilitate the vibration of the spring and the opening of the coils, and to lower the center of the bending moments, so that the oil will be fed between coils nearer the bottom of the cup, a weight 8 is sleeved on the top of the cylindrical spring and covers the upper coils thereof. The plan of the weight 8 is proportioned to that of the cup 5, so that the spring is permitted to oscillate in each direction the distance required for properly opening the coils and feeding the oil. A piece of wicking or felt 9 may be held, as by a key 10; within the bore of the spring extending therefrom through the bearing to the journal to feed by capillary action the oil passing between the coils and to prevent excessive discharges of oil through irregular or abnormal vibrations or jars.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cup or receptacle 11, fitted to the receptacle 3, has therein the tightly-wound helical spring 12, forming a cylinder which is set in the socket 13 and extends but a short distance above the bottom of the cup. In the top of the spring is fixed a shank 1 1, having a ball or weight 15 thereon. The closely-wound coils and the connections of the spring with the socket 13 and the shank 14 prevent the passage of oil from the cup through the hole 4 in the bearing 2 to the journal 1 excepting when the coils are opened by the oscillation of the weighted shank due to the vibrations induced in the mechanism from its movement. To limit the extent of vibration, a plate 16, having a circular opening 17 therein, may be supported upon lugs 18 of the cup, so that the ball will have the limited radial action permitted by the hole within which it oscillates. A hole 19 through the ball and shank provides a passage for a wire or the like to hold a wicking in the bore of the spring for regulating irregularities in the normal delivery of oil, as previously described. It will be understood that in this construction the openings effected between the coils and the discharge of the oil will be at a point near the bottom of the cup, permitting a discharge of the oil at as low level as is desirable in view of the sediment collecting in the bottom of the cup.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the receptacle 3' receives a cup or receptacle 20, having a conical spring 21, formed of tightly-coiled wire depending from thebottom thereof into a bottom opening 22. The upper coils are secured to the bottom of the cup, while the lower coils have connected therewith the shank 23 of a ball or weight 24:, so that oil cannot pass from the cup through the spring to the hole 4 and journal 1 excepting when the coils of the spring are opened by vibrations in the mechanism, the opening of the coils being facilitated by the oscillation of the weight and shank. To regulate the movement of the weight and the opening of the coils, the plate 25 is supported on the lugs 26 of the cup and has a circular opening 27 therein, surrounding the weight to limit itsmovements to equal oscillations in the several directions.

As shown in Fig. 7, the spring 7, seated in the socket 6 of the cup 5, may have the cap or sleeve 28 on the top thereof to hold the top coils closed and lower the center of bending moments, so that the coils opening will be those near the bottom of the cup, the coils midway between the top of the socket and the bottom of the sleeve being thus opened by the oscillation of the top of the spring induced by the vibrations of the mechanism. In this form of the construction the felt or wicking 9 within the spring may be connected with the top of the cap by a wire 29.

It will be understood that while we have shown weighted coils the spring may have the requisite characteristics for opening under vibrations and closing while at rest to perform the functions of an automatic valve without the use of such weights.

Having described our invention, we claim 1. A lubricator having a valve comprising a coil that is closed to prev nt feeding while at rest and opened by vibration to permit feeding.

2. A lubricator comprising an oil-receptacle having an outlet, a coiled spring connected with said outlet and normally cutting off the flow thereto from said receptacle, and a weight supported by said spring.

3. A lubricator comprising an oil-receptacle having an outlet, a spring having normally closed coils adapted for preventing flow from said receptacle to said outlet, and means for efiecting capillary feeding within said spring.

A. A lubricator comprising a receptacle having an opening, a cylindrical spring having normally closed coils connected to said opening, wicking within said spring and a bearing to which said wicking feeds.

5. The combination of a receptacle having an opening, with a valve comprising a coil that normally closes said opening and is operated by vibration.

1n testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands, this 21st day of December, 1904, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR w. BAIRD. JOHN P. DURKIN.

WVitnesses:

JOHN THIEL, LOUIS H. BUEK. 

